Polish President Andrzej Duda said Tuesday that U.S. officials have told him that Washington has no plans to scale back its military presence in Eastern Europe.
His remarks followed a meeting in Warsaw with President Donald Trump’s Ukraine envoy, Keith Kellogg.
Concerns over U.S. commitment to European security have mounted in recent days, particularly after U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth cautioned that NATO allies should not assume an indefinite American presence on the continent.
However, after meeting with Hegseth on Friday and Kellogg on Tuesday, Duda sought to reassure Poles that Washington remained committed to the region’s security.
Emphasizing the importance of the U.S.–Polish alliance to counter regional threats, Duda reiterated that both Hegseth and Kellogg had underscored America’s continued commitment to security in Poland.
“There are no concerns that the United States would reduce the level of its presence in our country, that the United States would in any way withdraw from its responsibility—or rather joint responsibility—for security in this part of Europe,” Duda said.
Expressing optimism about America’s diplomatic efforts in Ukraine, Duda voiced confidence in Trump’s ability to secure a resolution to the war.
“I hope that thanks to the efforts that President Donald Trump is currently making, the war in Ukraine will end,” he said.
At the same time, Duda stressed the need for a “just peace,” one that is “durable and long-lasting” and would ensure decades of stability, free from the threat of Russian aggression.
Following his visit to Poland, Kellogg was set to travel to Kyiv for talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The outcome of those discussions will inform a Feb. 24 meeting of Poland’s National Security Council, Duda said, emphasizing Warsaw’s ongoing commitment to supporting U.S. efforts in the region, particularly in pursuit of peace in Ukraine.
Poland, historically one of America’s closest European allies, is NATO’s top defense spender relative to GDP, with military expenditures set to reach 4.7 percent of its GDP this year—nearing Trump’s call for members to allocate 5 percent of GDP to defense.
During his visit to Warsaw, Hegseth praised Poland as a “model ally” and commended its “unmatched” partnership with Washington. While he did not confirm any troop increases, he hinted that U.S. deployments in Poland would remain stable.
At the same time, Hegseth urged other European allies to take greater responsibility for their own security as the U.S. reevaluates its global military posture.
“The American troop levels on the continent are important,” Hegseth said. “What happens five, 10, 15 years from now is part of a larger discussion that reflects the threat level, America’s posture, our needs around the globe, but most importantly the capability of European countries to step up.”
“That’s why our message is so stark to our European allies—now is the time to invest because you can’t make an assumption that America’s presence will last forever.”
Duda’s discussions with Hegseth and Kellogg come as Washington continues its review of its global military footprint. While no final decisions have been made regarding force deployments, U.S. officials have increasingly signaled a shift in strategic focus toward the Asia-Pacific region to counter communist China’s growing influence.
